Exploring the Tayangban Cave Pool was one of the most adventurous things we did in Siargao. It’s a wet cave in the most literal sense. The floor of the cave is submerged in water. You’ll wade through narrow passageways in the dark to get through the cave, with light only from your headlamp. If that sounds like fun to you then you’ll love this place.
Tayangban Cave Pool Complete Guide
Tayangban Cave Pool is a cave full of water that you can trek through. The cave is 240 meters long and leads to a grotto with a natural pool. After going through the cave, you’ll emerge into a natural pool and can dive into it using a rope swing or a jumping platform.
The interior of Tayangban Cave is pitch black. You’ll need to wade through the water to get through it. The water level in the cave changes with the tide, so your experience will depend on the time you visit. We visited during high tide and it was challenging to get through the deep water in some sections of the cave.
The adventure through Tayangban Cave Pool begins at the sari-sari near the entrance of the cave. You’ll get outfitted with a hard hat and headlamp to prepare for your trek. You also need to bring your own water shoes because the uneven surfaces in the cave are difficult to walk on without footwear.
I recommend leaving behind your cell phone before entering the cave. Anything you bring will get wet. We only brought our waterproof action camera to take photos.
The entrance fee for Tayangban Cave Pool is 160 pesos per person plus 200 pesos for a guide. Usually, we skip the guide whenever possible, but for this place having a guide is mandatory. Our guide was a huge help to get us through the cave’s dark passageways. He let us know where to step and grab when navigating through the cave.
After going through the cave, you’ll exit into a natural pool with a jumping platform and a rope swing. Even though the cave adventure is over, the natural pool is also worth spending time in. You’ll emerge into a small gorge with fern-covered rocky cliff faces. It’s like stepping into another world.
How to get to Tayangban Cave Pool
Getting to Tayangban Cave Pool is straightforward as it’s located alongside the Siargao Circumferential road, about 30 minutes from General Luna.
When approaching the location of the cave, you’ll see a sign for it on the right side of the road next to a sari-sari and a small grassy parking area. It’s about 7 minutes up the road from the Maasin River, so you can visit both of these spots on the same day if you have time.
The map location below for Tayangban Cave Pool is accurate and you can use it to navigate there.
Tayangban Cave Pool: Our Experience
Exploring the Tayangban Cave Pool was one of the most adventurous things we did in Siargao. I’ll admit we were a bit hesitant to enter the cave at first. Entering a dark cave is full of unknowns. Coupled with the fact that this cave is also full of water, we were nervous but excited about this new experience.
We started the adventure with our guide fitting us with hard hats and headlamps at the sari-sari outside the cave. He made sure that everything fit properly and our headlamp was working before leading us down the short path to the cave.
As we entered the cave, the adventure went from 0 to 100 real quick. I thought there would be a section where we could gradually enter the water before stepping into the cave. But instead, we had to fully commit from the start. Our guide went in first, then Chloe and I followed straight into chest-high water.
The water in the cave was deeper than I expected. There were points where I had to swim through because I couldn’t touch the bottom. I waded from rock to rock and clung to the side of the cave whenever I had the chance. At some points, I had to navigate with my feet feeling around since I couldn’t always see where I was stepping.
The cave was pitch dark except for the beams from our headlamps. The intensity of the adventure made it hard to look around at the cave. So after making it through a narrow chasm, we paused for a moment to look at all the mineral formations in the cave.
Many stalactites were coming down from the ceiling and sides of the cave. Some of them sparkled when we shined our lights on them. Going into places like this always makes me wonder who was the first person to discover it, and what they were thinking when they decided to step inside?
As we approached the end of the cave, I could see light pouring in from the outside. I almost didn’t want the cave exploration to end, even though I was excited to see where we would end up.
Once we emerged from the cave, we entered a small gorge. It took my eyes a few moments to adjust and when I looked around, it felt like we entered an entirely new place. The rocky cliff faces surrounding us were covered in ferns and roots. I thought that the adventure was over but leaving the cave was just as exciting as entering it.
We waded through the shallow water to a natural pool with a rope swing and a jumping platform. There were a few local boys hanging out and taking turns on the rope swing, so we introduced ourselves and joined in on the fun.
Where to Stay in Siargao
Choosing where to stay in Siargao is pretty straightforward. General Luna is the island’s main tourism hub. Most of the accommodations, restaurants, and shops are located in General Luna, and it’s also where all the tours and activities depart from. If you want to be close to everything, General Luna is the place to be.
Here are our recommendations on where to stay in Siargao:
- Luxury: If you’re looking for the best place to stay in Siargao, Las Palmas Villas is hard to beat. It has everything you would expect from a resort, including a swimming pool, a garden, and a full-service restaurant and bar.
- Mid-range: Big Waves Boutique Hotel is located right in the heart of General Luna, in a local neighborhood. The rooms are clean and all have their own private bathrooms and AC.
- Budget: We enjoyed our stay at Hostel Bajala so much that we ended up extending it a few times. The place is clean, cozy, and comfortable. We couldn’t ask for more.
If you prefer to find your own place to stay, you can visit Booking.com to explore all your accommodation options in Siargao.
What to Pack for Siargao
Here are some of our must-have items you might not have thought of when packing for a trip to Siargao.
- Crocs: During our time in Siargao, I was so glad to have Crocs to protect my feet when exploring caves and islands. They are the ultimate shoe in the Philippines for a reason – many Filipinos wear them too!
- Earplugs: If you’re planning to do any island hopping while in Siargao, I recommend bringing a set of earplugs for the boat rides. Most boats in Siargao have super loud diesel engines that will make your ears ring!
- Sunscreen: For some reason, sunscreen is expensive in the Philippines and I’ve even encountered places selling fake sunscreen that doesn’t work! So I recommend bringing your own sunscreen to Siargao.
- Dry Bag: With all the sand, salt, and water flying everywhere during our adventures out to Siargao’s islands, I was so glad to have a dry bag to keep all my things safe from the elements!
- Travel Towel: In my opinion, a travel towel like this one is super necessary for a trip to Siargao! It packs down nicely and was there for me anytime I went swimming, or just needed to brush sand or dirt off.
Our Siargao Google Maps Locations
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Are You Following Our Siargao Blog Series?
We spent 16 days in Siargao and found so many things to do there—from caves to beaches, mangroves, and lagoons. To help fellow adventurers, we’ve put together guides to the best places we found. You can check them out by clicking the links below.
- Start planning your trip here: Siargao Travel Guide
- Our ultimate guide to Siargao: 26 Awesome Things to Do in Siargao
- How to plan your Siargao vacation: Siargao 3 Day Itinerary
- Our Siargao Beach Guide: 15 Best Beaches in Siargao
- Our favorite place to swim in Siargao: Beto Cold Spring
- Our most intense adventure in Siargao: Exploring the Marvelous Somyot Cave
- Our favorite day tour in Siargao: Sohoton Cove
- Our favorite beach in Siargao: Pacifico Beach
- How to rent a motorbike in the Philippines
I hope you enjoyed our guide to Tayangban Cave Pool in Siargao. Feel free to leave a comment below if you have any questions! 🐸
